Akinori Otsuka
is a Japanese Major League Baseball player. He was formerly the set-up man for the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers. Currently, he is a free agent. He was also the closer for Japan's 2006 World Baseball Classic winning team. Otsuka throws a low-90's 4-seam fastball (tops out at about 94 mph) that is very straight, along with a hard, late-breaking slider. He employs an unorthodox pitching delivery: He lifts his lead leg up very slowly, taps his glove, then fires to home plate, making his pitches look faster coming out of his hand, making them much harder to pick up. Otsuka came to the United States after several years of pitching in the Japanese League when his former team, the Chunichi Dragons, used the posting system to solicit bids from MLB clubs for the right to negotiate with him. The Padres offered the top bid, and signed him to a three-year contract on December 9, . On January 6, , Otsuka was traded to the Rangers, along with pitcher Adam Eaton and minor league catcher Billy Killian, in exchange for pitcher Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, and outfielder Terrmel Sledge. Otsuka took over the role as the closer for the Rangers during the 2006 season, replacing Francisco Cordero, and recorded 32 saves while posting a 2.11 ERA. However, on December 19, 2006, the Rangers announced that newly signed Éric Gagné would take over the closer role in , with Otsuka moving back into a set-up role. On January 13, 2007, T.R. Sullivan reported that, in an interview in Japan, Otsuka said "If there is the team which needs me as a closer, I am going to think about (the trade)".http://trsullivan.mlblogs.com/trsullivan/2007/01/thus_spoke_akin.html. Due to Gagné starting the season on the DL, Otsuka began the 2007 season as the closer. With the trade of Gagne to the Boston Red Sox, Otsuka assumed the closer's role again. However, Otsuka went on the DL after experiencing tighntess in his throwing shoulder. His stand-in was C.J. Wilson. Otsuka was not offered a new contract by the Rangers and became a free agent on December 12, 2007. On January 10, , Otsuka announced that he would undergo elbow surgery. He recently stated that he is getting in shape and is willing to work out with every team to play again in 2009. Personal life Otsuka and his wife, Akemi, have one son, Toranosuke, and one daughter, Hikaru.MLB Stats, Bio , Photos, Highlights-MLB Statistics Major Leagues (Total as of July 26, 2008) * 236 Games * 232 Innings pitched * 13 Wins * 15 Losses * 39 Saves * 217 Strikeouts * 2.44 ERA Japanese Professional Leagues * 305 Games * 350.2 Innings pitched * 14 Wins * 23 Losses * 137 Saves * 474 Strikeouts * 2.39 ERA Season by Season Last update: 26 July 2008 *Bold = led league References External links * * *Official blog *Japanese league stats and info of Akinori Otsuka *Japan Baseball Daily Category:2006 World Baseball Classic players of Japan Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Kintetsu Buffaloes players Category:Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes players Category:Chunichi Dragons players Category:San Diego Padres players Category:Texas Rangers players Category:2006 World Baseball Classic players of Japan Category:Major League Baseball players from Japan Category:People from Chiba (city) Category:Closers Category:Relief Pitchers Category:Players